Law enforcement officers to benefit from new training program

The Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF), the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDCS) and the University of The Bahamas (UB) signed a partnership agreement with Georgia State University (GSU) yesterday for senior police and correctional officers to undergo special leadership training at UB and overseas law enforcement agencies.

The program will focus on law enforcement leadership and management, covering modules including written and oral communications, finance, budgeting, human resource management and critical global issues.

The signing marked the launch of the program which will continue indefinitely.

Minister of National Security Marvin Dames expressed the importance of the advancement of education as crime trends evolve.

“Professional development training is essential to good performance while advanced training beyond initial recruitment ensures confidence in officers who are often called upon to make decisions which impact their lives and the lives of others, inclusive of taking the life of another, suspending an individual’s constitutional rights, making arrests, and conducting searches under the prescribed law,” Minister of National Security Marvin Dames said.

“Furthermore, the constant changes in crime trends and patterns give credence to the demand for occupational professionalism in law enforcement.”

UB President Dr. Rodney Smith said the course is a two part experience.

“Participants will attend classes at the university over several weeks…,” Smith said.

“Following the completion of all modules at UB, program participants will engage in an internship which will be facilitated at the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange at Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, and led by its director, Dr. Robert Freidmann.”

He added, “We are confident that at the end of this program we will have helped to further develop this group of men and women who are already in nation-building roles.”

Following yesterday’s signing, Dames told reporters that although the program is going to cost the government, it is an investment.

“If this university is going to grow, then we have to invest in it,” Dames said.

“And so, this is a partnership but also an investment in the University of The Bahamas because we feel that they have the capabilities to do it.

“We’re on the cusp of something very special, building a program that could not only benefit Bahamians and Bahamians of law enforcement but also a program that can have a regional reach and maybe even a global reach.”

Laurent started at The Nassau Guardian in May 2018 as a paginator. He transitioned to reporting in February 2019. Laurent has covered multiple crime stories. He is the author of “Yello”, which was published in February 2019.Education: Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) 3rd Year